Make Over
by Silver Elf Child
Summary: If you could relive one moment in time what would it be? Would you dare to go back and change one event in hopes of making a new future? And if you did, would your medling destroy everything that you once knew fiction forever?


Make Over

By Silver Elf Child

Author's Note: Have you ever had one of those days where you just wanted to go back and redo that one thing that ruined your day? Do you ever feel like if you had the chance if you could change just one event things would be easier for you? Or maybe if you could do things over again how differently you would do them? There are a few things I know I would love to have a do over or in some instances 'make overs', as it were, during those few important events from my past. But since I can't, I'll let the ducks do it for me =P …

Author's note II: I wrote this piece many years ago, over 5 if I recall correctly and it has finally gotten to the web. So please enjoy and let me know what you think. If any of my writing ability has atrophied I blame it on all the science jammed into every tiny brain crack.

Now the fic…

"You got monitor duty. Yeah, so what," Nosedive grumbled as he meandered through the Pond to Drake One's computer room. "I wonder how she would feel if I woke her up to do this stupid job." Nosedive paused to yawn. "Man I wish Tanya would fix that darn alarm."

Nosedive entered the room and looked up to the master computer. The sleep returned to his legs as he begrudgingly walked up the steps to the landing. Reaching the top, he found the nearest seat and plopped down. "This is no way to start my day." Giving pause to consider slacking off, Nosedive turned to the main screen. Nothing of importance was displayed on the monitor. Rolling his eyes, Dive tried to make himself comfortable. This was, no doubt, going to be a very _long_ two hours.

Dive did not know when or how long he had been asleep. What he did know was the throbbing pain on the left side of his head.

"Sorry Baby Brother, but you need to be more responsible."

"That was low, Wing, even for you," Nosedive grumbled as he rubbed his offended head.

Wildwing chuckled softly as he pushed several buttons. "Maybe you should go to bed at a reasonable hour, and then you wouldn't be so cranky."

Nosedive mocked Wing's words behind his back.

Wildwing caught a glimpse of the amusing rhetoric out of the corner of his eye. "Stop that and go to bed. You look like the night of the living dead."

"Does that mean I get to eat your brains when you're not looking?" Nosedive asked as he wiggled his fingers in a menacing way toward Wildwing's head. Wildwing shook his head no. Downcast, Nosedive turned and headed toward the elevator. "You think going to sleep is easy? That's easy for you to say, you can sleep practically anywhere. I need…"

"Scratch that last order," Wildwing activated his com. "Ducks, report to Drake One, we've got lizard activity."

Nosedive groaned, "Don't those guys ever take a day off?"

***

"Dragaunus, there is a temporal disturbance in down town Anaheim," Siege reported.

"Is there? What are those ducks up to now?"

"How'd they get a teleporter?" The Chameleon pondered aloud.

"It matters little," Dragaunus snapped, lashing out at the smallest green lizard. "No doubt those duckies will rush to the disturbance to investigate." He paused a moment. "This may be beneficial to what we had planned for them. Siege! Wraith! Prepare the cell, we're about to have company." Dragaunus smiled sinisterly as smoke began to billow out of his nostrils.

***

A portal opened up in the middle of a busy street and spewed forth a ball of feathers. The humanoid duck, that had fallen out of the abyss, rolled to a stop and looked up to find an eighteen wheeler barreling toward her. Throwing herself to her feet, she dodged the vehicle only to land in the lane of opposing traffic. The noise of the car horns distorted her perception and caught her in a circular display of distortion.

The ducks arrived in a timely fashion to find a young female duck with purple and brown dyed streaked hair running back and forth from one fast lane to the other in a complete panic. "Duke, get her out of there," Wildwing ordered.

Without a word, Duke left the migrator, shot his grappling puck to a nearby roof and swung to the girls rescue.

Once safe on the sidewalk the girl tried to collect her thoughts and her nerves.

"You okay sweet heart?"

The girl looked up and smiled, "thanks to you."

"It's what I do best."

"Oh please," Mallory grumbled.

The girl spun toward the female voice and discovered the other ducks hovering nearby. Surprised by their appearance, she backed away into the buildings base.

"Way to go, Mal, you scared her," Dive laughed.

"Me!" Mallory turned on Dive, "she's the one that caused that panic in the street."

"That's enough, Mallory," Wildwing interrupted before turning to the girl. "Are you all right?"

The girl nodded.

Wildwing gave her a curt nod before surveying the streets with the mask. "I don't detect any Saurian activity. Strange."

"Strange?" the girl asked.

"Yes, we detected teleportation energy in this vicinity."

"Oh."

"All right ducks, fan out, they may still be here."

"Their not."

The ducks stopped and turned to look at the girl. "How do you know?" Grin asked softly.

The girl shrugged and started to dust off her padded fatigue pant legs, just below the knee. "I just do. That energy signature you are chasing after was probably me. I doubt that the Saurian's are here. They haven't been around for a long time."

Wildwing looked to Duke, then to the other ducks. This young female's mannerism was puzzling as well as her attire, but her statement had him at a loss.

"Well, I'm glad we got that straightened up. On to the next line of business, who are you and where did you come from?"

"Isn't it obvious, I'm from Puckworld. But I'm sure you already checked me out with that fancy mask of yours." The girl gave a cocky grin and pointed her index finger like a gun toward Wildwing's head.

The ducks were taken aback. Wildwing, on the other hand, was unsettled with her forwardness and knowledge of the mask. Of course he had already checked her out, but how should she know that he could do that? "You didn't answer my first question," Wildwing growled, crossing his arms.

"What was that again?" She asked pausing to smile at the ducks. She noticed that the ducks were not smiling back and their defensive stances spoke of how closely she was dancing on the edge. Crossing her arms in defiance, she stuck her beak into the air and replied coolly, "none of your business."

"I don't trust her," Mallory whispered into Wildwing's ear.

"Nor do I, but what are we going to do with her?"

Mallory began to elaborate on her own ideas when an explosion erupted behind her, sending her smashing into Wildwing and a nearby wall. The ducks recovered quickly from the volley and assessed the situation and returned fire.

"Saurian's! It was a trap!"

"No kidding, Mallory," Nosedive retorted as he dove behind cover.

"Take out the hunter drones," Wildwing ordered over the noise of blaster fire.

Taking out mindless drones was easy; it was the sheer number of them that was hard. Nosedive jumped from behind his makeshift barricade, did a spinning roll, blasting as he went and took out five drones before ducking back behind cover next to Mallory. She was adjusting the setting on her blaster and grumbling to herself. "When I get my hands on that little…"

"I don't think she had anything to do with this," Nosedive remarked pointing to the girl cowering behind a parked car with her knees pulled up to her chest.

"An act. Nothing more."

"Does wetting yourself from fright come with acting lessons, Mal? She's terrified. She can't be with the Saurian's."

"Says you."

"That's what I said." Nosedive pulled himself to his feet and looked over the broken wall he and Mallory were hiding behind. The hunter drones were heading away from them.

"Then you save her," Mallory remarked, indiferently.

Dive looked back over to the girl and saw several hunter drones approaching her. "Whoa! She's dead!"

"Good."

"Mal, she doesn't have a weapon! She's defenseless!"

"Teach her to mess with the Mighty- Nosedive, come back!"

Nosedive ignored Mallory's cry as he raced to help the girl. Firing his puck launcher as he ran, the hunter drones fell at his assault.

The girl jumped clear of the burning debris as Nosedive came to her side. "Don't worry kid, I won't let them get ya."

The girl looked to her savior and she nearly fell over. She fought the tears as she tried to find the words to speak, but nothing came to her. Could this be him? The one she had come back to find? The girl shook herself from her bedazzled trance and inched closer to him. An explosion overhead forced her to duck her head into his chest and wrap her arms around him.

Dive missed his mark when she slammed into him, but he couldn't help but smile. This was great! "I said you'll be fine, so lighten up."

She looked up at him hoping that he would be right. Dive laid his blaster down in an attempt to calm the shaking girl. "I promise I won't let them hurt you."

Dive watched as the girls eyes became saucers, and he smiled at her. No doubt she was going to cry with relief, but her expression spoke volumes to the contrary. Dive heard his name and he looked over his shoulder to find the glimmer around Siege dissapating. Reacting without thinking, Dive was on his feet.

"Got ya!" Siege declared as he wrapped Nosedive in a bear hug, pinning Nosedive's arms to his sides.

"Let go you lamer." Nosedive twisted in Siege's grasp.

"Got him," reported Siege.

~Then get him back to the Raptor,~ Dragaunus' menacing voice boomed over the communicator.

"Let him go!"

Siege looked down and found the girl duck standing with her hands on her hips. Nosedive stopped his struggling to look down at her.

"I said put him down, and I meant right now!" She demanded stomping her foot and pointing to the ground.

"Go bother someone else, duck."

"Watch me." The girl screamed a battle cry as she charged the large orange lizard. Not expecting the attack, Siege turned his back to her. She leaped onto his back and she fought fiercely kicking and punching.

"Get off."

"You go girl!" Nosedive cheered as he tried to wiggle free.

"Nosedive!"

Dive looked up again at his name to find Wildwing running toward him. Siege tightened his grip on Nosedive and he squeaked in pain. Siege noticed Wildwing's approach, grabbed the girl duck off his back and hurled her at him.

Wildwing dodged, but watched as she smashed into a nearby building. When he looked back, Nosedive and Siege were gone. "NO!" Wildwing rushed to the spot he had last seen his brother. "NOSEDIVE!"

"Where is he?" Mallory asked as she approached Wing, looking from side to side.

"Siege took him," Wildwing growled, narrowing his eyes.

Mallory picked up Dive's discarded blaster and handed it to Wildwing, "that girl, she must have…"

Wildwing held up his hand, cutting Mallory off. He brushed passed Mallory and stopped in front of Tanya and Duke, who were assisting the girl. "How is she?"

Tanya eyed Wildwing carefully as she formulated an appropriate response. "I need to get her back to the Pond."

"No!" Mallory objected. "We can't!" Mallory looked from one team mate to the other. "I mean, we shouldn't. She was part of Nosedive's abduction."

"If she was," Duke mused, "then the saurians will want her back. She may also know what they are planning."

"Duke's right. We'll take her back for questioning… and medical attention." Wildwing added the last as an afterthought.

***

Nosedive watched, horrified, as his brother and friends disappeared, only to be replaced by Dragaunus and his evil henchmen.

"Good work, Siege. Take our guest to his cell. We shall deal with him soon enough. But for now we must initiate phase two of my plan."

_Phase two? What is Draggy up to this time?_ Nosedive pondered as he was drug off to the Raptors dungeon.

***

"When will she be ready for questioning?" Wildwing asked Tanya.

"Hard to say, Wildwing. She's out cold. It can be hours or days. Siege-"

"I don't care what Siege did. I want Nosedive back and she's our only lead."

"Then you'll have to wait till she regains consciousness."

As if on cue, the girl stirred and moaned softly.

"Looks like sooner than later," Duke remarked from where he was sitting in the corner of the room. He stood and joined the other ducks near the medicom bed.

"Good."

Tanya glanced from Wildwing to the girl on the bed. She could feel Wildwing's anger growing, it had been growing exponentially since the battle on the street, but she felt sorry for the girl. As far as Tanya was concerned the girl needed time to recuperate before being interrogated.

"Where? Where am I?" The girl blinked trying to clear the haze from her head. When she was finally able to see clearly she found Tanya leaning over her. "Who are you?"

"Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you," Tanya comforted.

Wildwing snorted, drawing the girls focus from Tanya to him. The Masks eyes were glowing red and glared down at her. A shiver ran up her spine and she involuntarily backed away into the pillow.

"Where's Nosedive?" Wildwing growled.

"Wh… what?"

Wing got into her face. "You heard me. Where is he and what is Dragaunus planning?"

"I don't know what you're-"

Wildwing grabbed her by the arms and shook her. "NO! None of your tricks. I want answers and I want them now!"

"Wildwing, careful. She's still hurt," Tanya interjected.

"I don't care. I want my brother back!"

"We all do."

"Leave her alone!" barked a deep male voice.

Wildwing snapped to attention by the unexpected and unknown, yet somehow familiar, voice. He turned just in time to see a mallard step out of a purple portal. The middle aged duck was tall, broad in chest and well built. His hair was long and fell down to the small of his back. A few gray strands at his temples were drowning among the blond. As he placed his hands on his hips the portal closed behind him.

"Nosedive?"

"Hello Wildwing."

This older version of Nosedive walked past his brother to the bed and looked at the girl. "You all right?" Her wet eyes beamed with hope at his arrival and she nodded. "Good."

"Nosedive?"

Dive turned to face his former teammates. "Sorry if Alexis caused you any problems."

"But, Dive…"

Nosedive looked down at his fatigue pants and padded military vest. "I look different, I know."

"That's not it," Mallory stated. "Well, the military look isn't you, but you're-"

"Older? Yes. Thirty years older then you remember. Don't worry, it won't seem so weird when you get back to Puckworld." Nosedive turned his attention back to Alexis.

"But how?" Wildwing puzzled.

Nosedive looked back to Wildwing. "Future technology. That portal you saw was a dimensional portal. It's the latest version and has a time travel option."

"But…"

Nosedive held up a hand, cutting Wildwing off. Folding his arms across his chest he began, "Let me explain. After we defeated Draggy and the last of the Saurians, Tanya had to invent something to get us back home. Because if you remember you destroyed Dragaunus' dimensional gateway." Dive paused, waiting for the ducks to agree. "Tanya created the dimensional portal. Same concept as the gateway, but on a smaller scale. All we have to do is activate it and step through. All with me so far?"

The ducks nodded.

"Okay, so the egg heads back at the military got their hands on the technology and have been trying to advance it for years. Finally, they succeeded. They added the time travel feature, pretty cool stuff huh?"

"Why?" Grin asked. "Changing what has been can cause many disturbances through time and reality."

"Not to mention what it can do if this technology falls into the wrong hands," Duke pointed out.

"Understandable," Nosedive nodded folding his arms across his chest. "That was why Tanya was against it. But you can't stop the military once they get an idea in their heads, right Mal? Anyway, they promised to only use it for good."

"Yeah right."

Nosedive turned around to give Alexis an inquisitive look. She was sitting back with her knees pulled up to her chest, pouting. "That reminds me, how did you get your hands on the portal generator?"

Alexis released her grip and shrank back losing her cocky attitude under Nosedive's scrutiny. "I overheard you… talking… with the generals in your office."

"Really?"

Nosedive was not convinced, since he had never 'talked' with the generals. He was adamantly against the use of the technology. Their conversations had always been screaming matches. "And what, by this conversation, possessed you to run off and use it? The portal has not been tested. We didn't, or should I say, we don't even know if we can get back!"

"But-"

"Why Alexis?!"

"Because I figured that if I came back I could help the future. There are so many things that need to be fixed-"

"Alexis…" Nosedive drew in a long breath. "We were going to test it on small irrelevant matters before attempting to change reality as we knew it."

"Like what?"

"Simple things. Minor things." Nosedive waved his hand in circles aimlessly in the air.

"So you're telling me that if I went back in time and actually passed my history midterm my life would be better?"

"Not exactly," Nosedive chuckled. "But it would not have hurt you to have studied."

"Now I have seen everything," Wildwing exclaimed. "Nosedive, my baby brother, acting his age!"

"Far from it Bro. But now that idea is shot. We can't experiment with the portal now. The whole concept was blown when Alexis here decided to go on a joy ride through time."

"I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Oh no?" Nosedive growled at her. "Then tell me why I'm sitting in a saurian cell in the Raptor?"

"But-"

"That was NOT suppose to happen! At least not yet."

"So you are captured, I mean sometime in history?" Wildwing asked apprehensively.

"Yes," Nosedive turned to face Wildwing again. "But you're not suppose to know that. You see, the experiment protocol dictated no contact with our past selves or families. If I had known Alexis had come back to this time I would have had someone else come back to retrieve her. But now I have to stick around to fix any damage she may have caused."

"Does that mean I don't have to go back to the Academy?" Alexis asked sitting up.

"I should make you go back," Nosedive grumbled. Alexis' hope deflated as she fell back onto the bed. "You do have your studies and drills to work on. Besides your teachers will notice your absence."

"What about you?" Alexis accused sitting up again. "You have responsibilities there too!"

"I am not a ward of the Academy."

"But you're needed there. Do you ever stop to think that your absence affects us too?"

Nosedive paused, lost at her words. "Very well, but don't complain to me when we get back and you are in major trouble."

"All right!"

"Mind you, this is only punishment for messing up and making a huge mess of history as we knew it."

***

Dive struggled against the chains on his wrists and ankles. Despite his audacious efforts, it was for not. The Chameleon entered with Wraith and set up a box a few feet away.

"We should try another way, Chameleon."

"But Dragaunus said to do it, so I have to do it."

"The chances of this working to our benefit are slim. We must combine this new technology with our ancient saurian powers."

"Dragaunus said poke…" The Chameleon held up a syringe filled with a fluorescent blue liquid and stuck it into Dive's leg.

"Oww!"

"So I poke."

"This will never work," Wraith said pessimistically shaking his head from side to side as Chameleon packed up the boxes contents and left the room.

***

Wildwing eyed Alexis warily as she slept on the couch in his and Dive's room. His thoughts were interrupted when Nosedive entered. "Man, I forgot how much I loved Earth junk food." He was carrying several orders of take out, which included Chinese, triple spicy tacos, pizza (with all the trimmin's), and Italian.

"You haven't changed, Dive," Wildwing chuckled softly, shaking his head from side to side.

Nosedive eyed his brother. Changed? Why would he change? "I got you stuff too."

Wildwing laughed then caught himself. He spun around, afraid that his outburst had woken Alexis.

"Don't worry, she's a sound sleeper. She could sleep through a Saurian invasion."

"Nice."

"Trust me, if I could have I would have tired."

"And been disposed of like all the others."

Nosedive shuddered. "I'd rather not think about that."

"So, Dive, did mom and dad make it?" Nosedive cast Wildwing an awkward glance. "I know we shouldn't know about our future, but it would just ease…"

"They made it. Just don't ask for anymore. I'm afraid that Alexis and I have already messed things up beyond repair."

"Speaking of her, what's this 'Academy' you keep talking about?"

"The Military Academy. She's one of my students."

"You? In the Academy?"

"I teach physical education." Nosedive remarked sitting down. "They wanted someone with experience in the field yet not of the military. Since I never finished High School, seeing that it was destroyed, I couldn't find a job. When they offered me the chance to teach, I took it."

"I find all this a bit-"

"Unbelievable?"

"Yeah."

Wildwing sat down and began to eat from a carton of Chinese food.

Nosedive watched him eat. The memories of the past tugged at his heart and even though he knew he could not stop the inevitable or change the future drastically, he wanted things to be better.

"The future isn't what it's cracked up to be." Nosedive laid his triple spicy taco down and rose to leave.

"You okay, Dive?"

"Yeah." Nosedive forced a laugh. "That stuff is lethal. I'll be right back."

Wildwing watched Nosedive leave as he shook his head amazed at how time truly did change things.

Nosedive found that as he walked to the kitchen that the tacos were more lethal than he had thought. His aged stomach grimaced and moaned at the introduced inferno. He definitely was not as young as he once was. Nosedive found the antacid and turned to leave when Mallory entered. "Hi Mal."

"Nosedive!"

Nosedive gave Mallory an award winning smile. "Miss me?"

Mallory rolled her eyes, "oh it's just you."

"Who were you expecting, the younger me?"

"Get a life."

"I did." Dive brushed past her, acting as if he was leaving. He surprised her when he spun around, grabbed her and kissed her passionately.

At first she fought him, but soon found it futile to resist. She slid one hand behind his neck and the other she placed on his shoulder. Mallory was half glad when he retreated from their embrace and half disappointed.

"Don't ever change, Mallory."

She realized that her pulse was racing as he left. After the door closed behind him she growled, "don't do that again."

Nosedive paused outside the kitchen, leaning against the door frame. He ran his hand across his face as he whispered, "I promise, that will never happen again."

***

"What are you up to now, you lamers," Dive addressed Siege with contempt.

The large orange lizard laughed at him. "You'll soon see." Being none too gentle, Siege stabbed Nosedive in the abdomen with another syringe, which this time contained a pink fluorescent liquid. "Don't worry, duck this stuff is meant to help you with the pain."

"I don't feel any pain," Dive grimaced as Siege twisted the syringe.

"You will."

***

Nosedive stumbled in the hall as he made his way back to his and Wing's room. Something was wrong and it wasn't the indigestion.

"Little Friend." Nosedive looked up to find Grin looking down at him. "What is wrong?"

Nosedive felt a stabbing pain in his stomach and he doubled over. "Get… Wing," he managed to grunt before falling to the floor and into unconsciousness.

***

The beads of sweat continued to build upon his brow as the Saurians entered yet again. It had not taken long for the substances they had been injecting to take effect. Now he was fighting a fever and desperately trying not to throw up… again.

"How goes the experiment?" Dive heard Dragaunus inquire.

"Not well my Lord. His systems are shutting down."

"I did not ask about his condition! Is the mind control serum working?"

"He is in a state of perpetual disillusion, my Lord." Wraith bowed. "If he survives, which I doubt, he will make a witless slave with unimaginable strength and intelligence."

"_Slave!"_ Dive's head reeled. _"I am no one's slave! If I do survive this, you're mine Dragaunus."_

***

Nosedive sat up with a start, spooking his teammates. He quickly gauged the situation and sprung from the bed.

"Whoa there, Kid, where do you think you are going?" Duke asked, hooking his arm.

"Dragaunus is trying to screw up history. We have to stop him!"

"Not in your condition," Tanya threatened.

"I'm fine, but I won't be for long."

"You mean Dragaunus is going to hurt you? I mean the younger you?" Mallory asked.

"Yes. He started his little experiment. If we don't get there soon, I will not survive."

"Then we have to do something!" Alexis exclaimed jumping from her chair.

"We will, but you are staying here." Nosedive pointed at the ground.

"What?! You can't go by yourself."

"I'm not. I'm going with my friends. And you WILL wait here."

"But…"

"Alexis, I am getting really tired of your insubordination. Surprise me, and actually do what you are told," Nosedive's voice boomed with authority.

Wildwing snickered.

"Don't start!" Nosedive snapped.

Wildwing shrugged. "She just reminds me of you."

Alexis glared at Wildwing.

"Funny, but not. First off she's not mine, only a student. As I already stated she's a ward of the Academy."

"I didn't say…"

"You were thinking it. Let's go." Nosedive yanked his padded military jacket from the end of the bed and headed for the door.

***

Wildwing watched his 'older' brother as the Migrator sped toward the Raptor. He physically looked up to the challenge, but he was not so sure about his mental health. His legs were constantly bouncing and his hands were restless. His eyes continually darted from side to side. He was agitated.

"You okay bro?"

Nosedive snapped back to the present. "Yeah, fine."

"Are you sure?"

Nosedive looked back at his brother after surveying the rest of the team. "I'm fine, just worried."

"About?" Wing inquired, trying to draw his brother out of his silent repose.

"If Dragaunus succeeds and does kill me that will throw history as I know it, into chaos. Besides, I was just thinking… you know, if that did happen…"

"It won't," Wing stated confidently.

"We won't let that happen," Mallory added.

"It's easy to be confident here in the Migrator, Mallory, but you don't know what you're up against. There is a good chance I will be killed tonight, the younger me that is. And if that happens, what will happen to me, this me? Do I disappear in a puff of smoke, or do I live on? And if I do live on how can I go back to a future that will have no memory of my very existence? Or will my death create a cataclysmic disturbance that will destroy the time flow and eradicate all of time; past, present and future?"

Wildwing laid a comforting hand on Nosedive's shoulder. "Things will turn out the way they are suppose to. Remember, you live through this."

Nosedive smiled. Wing was right. He did live through this ordeal, but… Dive looked away and back out the window. History had to follow the correct time stream and in so the destruction of Nosedive's world was about to occur all over again!

Wildwing was still uncertain about Nosedive, but he let him be. Mallory who had been sitting across from Dive continued to worry. Somehow she sensed that he wasn't telling them the entire story.

"Turn right at the next light. The large building on the left half way down the block is the Raptor." Nosedive informed.

"We'll park here then," Wildwing ordered Duke, who was driving.

"Why? They know were coming." Nosedive said flatly.

"Maybe so, but they don't know when or how."

"You are way too cheerful, Wildwing."

"And you need to lighten up."

Nosedive unbuckled his belt and stood up. "Let's get the show on the road."

"One of us is going to die." Nosedive stopped dead in his tracks at Mallory's blunt statement. "Don't lie. You know what's going to happen."

He reached out and braced himself against the door jam. "I can't tell you the future. As far as I know the future is still uncertain."

"But in your past one of us dies today."

Nosedive slowly nodded. "Yes. But as I said earlier this is an experiment. Let's see if little changes will not upset history too much."

"What are you thinking of doing?" Duke asked.

"Something that needs to be done. And I need all of you to do something for me."

"And that is?" Tanya asked.

"Make sure Alexis gets back to the future. I don't know what's going to happen this time around, but what I do know is that she belongs in the future, not here."

"Don't go off and get yourself killed, Kid."

"I don't plan on that. But what I do plan on doing is stopping Dragaunus. Let's go."

The Ducks discussed the plan and headed off. Nosedive stopped Wing momentarily by the arm.

"What's wrong?"

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid."

Wildwing chuckled. "Me? You were and are the reckless one, remember."

"Just promise me that you won't try to save me."

Wing shook his head, puzzled. "What?"

"Don't save me."

"What do you think we're doing here?"

"I know, but let me do it."

"But you said…"

"I won't know it's me."

Wildwing stood mystified as Nosedive ran off; as he dove into the shadows of a nearby building he pulled out a hockey mask and put it on to hide his identity.

***

The room continued to spin as the Saurians words mingled to become a jumbled mess to his ears. Soon his ears began to ring as he submitted himself to semiconciseness. A touch on his left arm brought his head up, but not before another injection stung his arm. He tried to pull his arm away and found that it was free. "Get off," Dive slurred as he blinked futilely.

He felt the chains on his ankles come undone. "Go away!" he threatened the figure in front of him.

"Make me," laughed his counterpart.

"When I get free, you're going to…"

"Get the heck out of here."

Dive looked up and found the mask looking down at him.

"Wing?" Nosedive was confused. It looked like Wing, but it didn't sound like him. It must be that stuff the Saurians were injecting. His mind was playing tricks on him.

***

It did not take long for the two Nosedives's to reach the street. The future Nosedive, knowing how the events would go, lead his past self away from the fighting back to the Migrator. He paused momentarily to let his younger self catch his bearings. The sound of fighting caught his attention.

Nosedive set his younger self down to see what was going on. He peaked around the corner of the building. The ducks were fighting Chameleon and Siege in the street. Dragaunus was inside watching, no doubt, waiting for the off chance that the battle should go bad for him and good for the ducks. If so, he would use his ace in the hole. But then again… Nosedive smiled realizing that he had just foiled that bit of Dragaunus' plan.

Wildwing ordered the final charge and the ducks converged on Siege and Chameleon. The two lizards drew back, drawing the ducks forward away from cover. Nosedive looked away quickly. He knew what was going to happen and yet…

Dive moaned and shook his head, but the older Nosedive paid him no heed. Soon very soon, Wraith would make an appearance and shatter his life. Nosedive looked up to the sky. Wraith appeared on the roof of a nearby building. He fired up a fireball and waited.

Nosedive looked away and back to the battle. He knew that he could not interfere with history, but then again he already had. Nosedive looked back up to Wraith. Something was wrong. _Dragaunus must have discovered me missing. You won't kill any of my friends today!_

But Nosedive thought too soon. Despite losing his trump card, Dragaunus had a back up, backup plan. Nosedive watched in horror as Wraith selected a target for his fireball. Nosedive quickly looked away and sank to the ground. He buried his face into his knees, "I can't interfere. I can't."

Dive looked at the duck he once believed to be Wildwing. Now that his vision had cleared, it was obvious that it was not his brother. Dive watched patiently as his savior rocked back and forth muttering to himself. He crawled to the corner and looked around the building. His friends needed help, he had to do something!

Dive was yanked back into the shadows of the ally.

"Don't even think about it!"

"I have to help them."

"No… I do." Nosedive stood up and walked toward the street. "Stay hereand out of sight. I'll be right back."

Nosedive carefully made his way to the battle. He kept an extra eye on Wraith up above.

Dive watched the long haired stranger rush to help his friends. He also noticed Wraith play with one of his magical fireballs from the roof top and throw it at Wildwing.

"NO!" Nosedive and Dive shouted in unison.

Wildwing looked up and found Nosedive rushing him.

"Dive, what…"

Nosedive checked Wildwing out of the fireballs path, but he wasn't quick enough to get out of its way. It hit him square in the chest and he fell to the concrete.

"NOSEDIVE!"

Dive shook his head, unsure of what he had just heard. Did Wildwing just call the long haired stranger by HIS name?

"Nosedive, can you hear me?" Wildwing fell to his knees beside Nosedive, checking him for the extent of his injuries.

"NO!" Mallory shouted as she rushed to the long haired stranger's side.

Dive looked up. Was she… crying? He heard another cry and found the girl duck from the street battle running toward Wildwing and Mallory. She skidded to a halt and landed on the side opposite of Wildwing, next to Mallory.

"Dive, why?"

Nosedive looked up at his brother. "I couldn't…" he paused to suck in a painful breath. "I couldn't let you die again."

Die? Again? _That was why he was agitated. He knew or at least remembered that I died in THIS battle._

"Dad, don't die."

Wildwing snapped back to reality. He hadn't seen Alexis approach nor had the others. The Raptor was gone as well. Wing watched as Alexis removed the mask from Nosedive's face and pocketed it.

_Strange, it looks like._ "Wait!"

"What?" Both Alexis and Nosedive asked in unison.

"Is that?"

"Drake Ducain's mask." Nosedive smiled. "Family heirloom."

"But I have…"

"You had," Nosedive explained clutching at his chest. "I got it after Wraith killed you."

"I didn't die."

"Not this time," Nosedive smiled.

Wildwing heard the crunch of gravel behind him and looked up. Dive stood behind him staring down at his older self. Ignoring his younger brother he ordered, "Duke, Grin, help me get him to the Migrator, we have to get him back to the Pond."

"No, send Alexis home first." Nosedive held out a little control device.

"I'm not going without you," Alexis refused.

"Send her!"

Wildwing looked at Alexis then back down at Nosedive. "As soon as you are taken care of. I promise you, I'll send her home."

***

Alexis nervously watched Nosedive as he fought to live. His younger self held back and kept to the perimeter unsure of what to think. Tanya, along with Wildwing and Mallory, worked frantically to help Nosedive.

"Send her home now!" Nosedive demanded as he struggled to one elbow.

"She's fine where she is. When you are healthy the both of you will go back together."

Alexis turned to Dive with tears in her eyes. "Help him."

Dive looked to Grin and Duke, uncertain of what to say or do.

"Help him. You have to."

"Leave me alone," Nosedive reprimanded as Tanya and Wildwing gently forced him to lay down.

Alexis turned back to Nosedive on the bed. "But he has to. You won't make it without-"

"I said leave him alone! What you are asking can't be done. Not now anyway."

"But-"

Nosedive flew back to one elbow and pointed at Alexis. "Open your big beak again and you can screw up the future." He clutched at his chest, grimacing in pain as he laid down once again.

"Screw the future! I hate the future! Maybe if you had done something then the future wouldn't be as crappy!"

"Don't…" Nosedive cringed in pain. "say anything."

Alexis jumped up and grabbed Dive's hand. "Save him, please."

"I don't know anything about medicine," Dive apologized.

"It's too early, Alexis," Nosedive wheezed.

"Please, you just have to. I can't go back without him."

"I don't know how," Dive shrugged and backed away.

"Yes you do."

"No, I don't," Dive snapped as he pulled his hand away. "Why can't you just listen to him and leave me alone!"

Dive turned to leave, followed by Duke and Grin.

"The Saurians did something to you, didn't they." It was a statement, not a question. And it stopped Dive in his tracks.

"Dive?" Tanya asked slowly.

Dive slowly turned to face Alexis. "I don't know how you-"

"They were experimenting on you. It's written in the history records. But because of those experiments-"

"Alexis, stop!"

Alexis shook her head, desperately fighting off the tears and failing. "They gave you a special power, the power to heal."

"Alexis I order you to shut up!" Nosedive barked attempting to sit up, but Wildwing kept him pinned to the bed as Tanya worked fervently to save him.

Alexis whirled around. "I won't let you die! Not now, not ever!"

"They never finished the experiment. He doesn't have the gift."

"But you do," she sobbed pathetically.

Nosedive nodded, "and that was a different past."

Alexis pushed past Wildwing and grabbed Nosedive's hand pleading, "please show him. Teach him. Let him try, maybe…"

"It won't work. He's not ready. I didn't discover the gift till many years later and by accident."

"But that was a different past, you said so yourself."

"Even if he did have the power, he's not ready."

"Please."

"Let me try." All eyes turned to Dive standing at the foot of Nosedive's bed. "If there is a chance, no matter how small, let me try. You saved our brother, let me help you."

Nosedive slowly nodded and slumped into the bed, defeated. "very well."

Dive stepped up hesitantly, not sure of what was about to transpire. Nosedive waved him closer to his side and he moved closer. Nosedive raised his hand slightly off the bed and reached for Dive's hand. Dive took it and felt the tears well up in his eyes. He knew from the touch that it was already too late to save this older version of himself.

"Do something," Alexis whispered.

Dive pulled free of Nosedive's weakening grip and stepped back. "It's too late."

Alexis looked away from Dive down to Nosedive just in time to see him take his final breath. She held her breath praying that he would respire once more, but it didn't come. She didn't know whether to scream or cry. The only duck she had ever come to respect and love had died without telling her that he even cared about her.

Alexis turned away. She couldn't bear to look at him. She felt a pair of arms engulf her and found that Wildwing had pulled her to his chest and was trying to comfort her. "Get off me," she protested, pushing Wildwing away. "This is all your fault!"

"I-"

"If it hadn't been for you, none of this would have every happened. I hate you!"

Wildwing took a step back. How was this his fault?

"Calm down, young one," Grin soothed stepping forward.

"Don't talk to me, don't touch me! Any of you! I hate you all!" Alexis buried her face into her hands and began to sob.

Mallory marched up to Alexis and slapped her, sending Alexis sprawling into Wildwing's arms. "Shut up! If any of this is anyone's fault it's yours. If you hadn't come back in time he would not have come looking for you."

"I had to." Alexis whispered into Wildwing's chest. She looked up, "after you died, he was never the same. They said that he had grown cold, moping about blaming himself. If he had known about the gift he would have tried to save you, but it was too late when he finally did. I thought that if I came back and took your place, then you would have lived and he would never have… But he's dead!"

Alexis pushed away from Wildwing. "It is all my fault!" Alexis darted toward the door.

"Alexis wait!" Wildwing called after her.

"I'm not going back!"

"Ducks after her! She can't stay in the past."

Wildwing lead the charge leaving Tanya and Dive in the infirmary. Dive hadn't paid any attention to Alexis or her outburst. He was too enveloped with watching his older self lying lifeless on the medicom bed. The moment was surreal. _So this is how I die._

"You okay?" Tanya asked laying a hand on Dive's shoulder.

Dive nodded. "Yeah. I just need a moment to… say goodbye."

"All right then. I'm going to go help the others catch Alexis, will you be all right alone?"

Dive nodded.

The infirmary fell silent after Tanya left. It was eerie to look down and see the face of death, especially your own. Dive pried his gaze away from the bed and looked up to the ceiling. If the saurians really had blessed him with a gift of healing, why couldn't he use it! Dive looked down at his older self and tried to recall his last few moments. His hand gestures had been precise, measured, as if… Something inside Dive began to burn. Deep in his inner most being then radiated out. He felt it. Dragaunus' experiment had changed him! Changed him into something different, something powerful, something beyond comprehension. Then it hit him. He knew how to save himself, but was it already too late?

***

Wildwing and Duke were dragging Alexis back to the infirmary, despite her protest.

"You can't make me, I won't go!"

"You have to."

"You don't understand. The Academy is horrible, they'll kill me there if you send me back. Please, I won't survive very long if you send me back!"

"And if you stay here you mess up the future," Wildwing tried to reason.

"I've already screwed it up. Please don't make me go back there!"

"You'll only make matters worse if you stay," Duke interjected. "You have to go back, we promised the Kid, I mean Nosedive, that we would send you home."

"Home?" Alexis scoffed. "You call the torture Academy home? It's more like a brain washing, good for nothing excuse for an orphanage that torments me in every waking hour and haunts childrens nightmares!"

Wildwing and Duke released Alexis in the infirmary.

"No where to run, no where to hide," Duke laughed.

Alexis sneered at Wildwing as he locked the infirmary doors, "like that does you a lot of good. You still don't know how to operate the portal."

"You will activate it," Mallory replied coolly.

Alexis smirked at the red head and tossed her brown with purple streaked hair back, "make me."

"You know, you are a thousand times worse than Nosedive."

"I learned from the master."

"Speaking of Nosedive," Tanya interjected looking around. "Where is he?"

The Ducks let Alexis gloat over her apparent victory as they searched the infirmary for Dive. Wildwing found him sprawled across the floor next to Nosedive's medicom bed. "He's over here!" Wildwing bent down and cradled Dive's head in his lap. "Come on baby bro wake up. Tanya-"

"He's fine," groaned a weak male voice.

Wildwing, startled by the voice, carefully laid Dive back onto the floor before standing up. He looked at the bed where the 'deceased' Nosedive laid.

"He's fine," Nosedive reiterated as he rolled slowly to face Wildwing. "Only passed out."

"Nosedive?"

"Surprise." Nosedive gave his brother a weak trademark award winning grin.

"He's alive!" Alexis shouted, jumping onto the bed and hugging Nosedive.

"Or at least I was. Alexis get off before you really do kill me."

Alexis pulled away, but did not leave the bed.

"How did you?" Mallory began to question.

"I did nothing. He," Nosedive nodded towards Dive on the floor, "saved me."

"But you said that he doesn't have the gift," Alexis pondered aloud.

"I was wrong. He does."

Alexis opened her mouth to speak and pointed at Nosedive, "I-"

"I was also right. He doesn't have the same gift I have. His is actually more powerful."

"But how?" Wildwing asked.

"Draggy wanted to create mindless super soldiers. He invented this strange concoction of glowing liquids that he injects into his prisoners. And it works. The 'mind control serum' as he called it is potent stuff and gives amazing powers. Unfortunately, they are not the powers that Draggy had in mind."

"And he injected them into you?"

Nosedive nodded. "Don't worry bro. they don't do much."

"Except give you super healing powers," Wildwing remarked.

"Just call me, Duck Man!" Nosedive joked in a macho husky super hero voice and puffed up his chest. Mallory scoffed so he cleared his throat before continuing, "but seriously there are no severe ramifications. I'll wake in a few hours with a monstrous appetite."

"What's new about that?" Mallory retorted.

"Trust me Mal, you ain't seen nothin' yet. But seriously, the only time I get that way is when I use my powers. I warn you, it's not something that should be used carelessly. As a matter of fact it's very dangerous to be used at all. I recommend that he abstains from using it at all costs."

"Why?" Duke inquired.

Nosedive sighed heavily. "First off it drains my strength, not just mine, but the person being healed." Nosedive yawned and smiled sheepishly. "But it does more than just that. I don't know how to explain it in sensible terms. It's almost like I become part of the person and they a part of me. I know exactly where every person or duck I have ever healed are at this very moment. I know what they are feeling and doing at every moment of every day."

"Even what they are thinking?" Alexis asked appalled.

"No, thankfully not that. I think I'd go crazy if I heard voices in my head." He paused and gave her a sideways glance. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing."

"What happens when those you healed die?" Mallory asked.

"Don't know," Nosedive shrugged. "None have died yet. I'm hoping that they just leave a minor void." Nosedive pinned Mallory with his gaze and she shuddered. She almost sensed that he could penetrate her very soul with his eyes and it made her uneasy. Nosedive broke off the stare when he yawned again. "I'm sorry guys, but I need some rest. Journeying beyond death and back again is tiring."

***

Nosedive pushed a button on his wrist com and a purple dimensional portal opened a few feet in front of he and Alexis. "Well guys," he said turning to face his former teammates. "It's been fun. See ya around."

"What? You're not even going to say goodbye?" Wildwing laughed.

Nosedive looked down briefly and walked over to his older brother. "It was really good to see you again bro." Wildwing pulled Nosedive into an embrace, "take care baby bro."

They drew back and smiled at one another. Wing looked over at his younger brother and released Nosedive. Nosedive also glanced over at his younger self and smiled. "Man this story is getting sappy. Hey Dive, do me a favor and don't let them ruin our life."

Dive smiled, "can life really get that hard?"

Nosedive gave a fiendish smile. "I'll let you figure that one out on your own."

He moved on to Duke and gave the older mallard a hefty handshake. "Good to see you turned out okay, Kid."

"Me? Did you expect any less?" Nosedive asked stepping back to let Duke admire his physic.

"Not bad, Kid, but one thing that I've been wondering. How'd you get out of the Raptor without being detected?"

"I learned from the best jewel thief on Puckworld."

"Why thanks, Kid."

"Your dad's a pretty nice guy."

Duke swatted at Nosedive, but he missed as he jumped towards Grin. "Still a smart mouth I see."

Alexis hugged herself as she watched Nosedive speak with Grin then Tanya. Goodbyes always seemed to take forever and were always emotionally draining for her. She had seen too many goodbyes in her short existence, two of which were final and non-formal. As a matter of fact she had never been able to say goodbye to her parents before their untimely deaths. The realization sent chills up her spine and she hugged herself tighter.

"Not good at goodbyes?"

Alexis jumped and found Wildwing leaning close to whisper in her ear.

"There's never any easy way to say that word."

"He told me about your parents."

"Goodbye means forever. No one ever comes back from goodbye. I hate that word."

"You know that's not true." Alexis rolled her eyes. Wildwing held out an open palm, "can we at least end this off on a good note? I'm sorry if I hurt you and-"

"Listen, none of what happened these past few days was your fault okay. I'm glad you didn't get killed, but the future can still be changed. We changed several things and in doing so we may have destroyed something important. For all I know, your death may have been an essential part of my existence. We altered the past and the future has been changed with untold ramifications. I now understand why he didn't want me to come back."

Wildwing placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes, pinning her gaze. "You don't know what has changed. Maybe it was for the good. Maybe, by saving me, you saved your parents."

"If that's true then I would never have met Nosedive and I wouldn't have come back in time to save you so you actually died and…"

Wildwing shook his head. "It's a vicious cycle of what if's. There's a reason why it's called the unknown. Don't worry about the quantum physics or the probability that things will go wrong. Just live your life the best you can, from this moment on."

Alexis tore her gaze away from Wildwing to see that Nosedive was now talking to Mallory. "Are you through yet!"

Nosedive glared at Alexis over his shoulder. "Hold onto your horses. Just give me a few more minutes. What are you in a hurry, to have the Academy beat you bloody for going AWOL?"

Alexis looked away toward the floor and rolled an imaginary stone with her toe. "No, I just… never mind."

Nosedive shook his head as he turned back to Mallory. He thought about kissing her, but remembered the promise he had made to himself. The thought must have crossed her mind as well because she clamped her hand over his beak, "don't even think about it."

He shrugged and sighed softly, "well, I guess this is goodbye." He extended his right hand to her and waited for her to take it. She looked at his hand then back to him. "What?"

"Am I not good enough to hug goodbye?"

"I just thought…" He let his excuse trail off as he took her in his arms and held her. He closed his eyes and drank in the scent of her hair. OH if he could only make this moment last! Then the memory of how he became Alexis' sole guardian flooded his mind.

_Nosedive stumbled over garbage piled upon the floor of his apartment. The knock at his door persisted. "I'm coming, I'm coming," he growled. "Keep your hockey shorts on." His hair was disheveled and his clothes were stained from three days wear. _

_He opened the door to find an officer of the Puckworld Military standing with a bundle under one arm and a clipboard in the other. "I presume that you are…" the duck checked the paperwork, "Nosedive Flashblade?"_

"_That's me."_

"_May I come in?"_

_Nosedive eyed the mallard suspiciously, but let him in. The officer entered slowly, taking inventory of the mess and uncleansed appearance of the subject he had been sent to interview. He was definitely not impressed. "I don't see how command thinks that this place is adequate for it's intended purpose. There must have been a mistake."_

"_Excuse me?"_

_The officer spun to face Nosedive. "I believe my commanding officer was in error. You are not qualified to for anything but lowlife scum."_

"_Who do you think you are?" Nosedive pushed his index finger into the military officers' sternum. "How dare you come into my home and call it unsatisfactory! Why should you care how or where I live! The military never seemed to care when-"_

_Nosedive's raised voice caused the bundle in the officers' arm to cry out and flail about. Both Nosedive and the officer were taken off guard and paused to look at the noisy thing._

"_I am Lt. Commander Owens, Commander Buckeye's personal assistant. He sent me to deliver…" Lt. Commander Owens struggled with the bundle. "To deliver this." He dropped the colicky hatchling into Nosedive's arms. "Her parents were killed in action and you were named legal guardian."_

"_Me? I don't even know who she is, let alone her parents." Nosedive retorted as he tried to calm the child. He uncovered the blanket from her face and she instantly quieted down and began to coo._

"_Apparently she knows you. She never quiets that easily."_

"_I'm sorry," Nosedive remarked handing the child back to Lt. Commander Owens. "You've got the wrong mallard." The duckling began to squall, only louder, once back in Lt. Commander Owens' arms._

"_My orders were clear. I was to leave her with you." He thrust the girl back into Nosedive's arms. "Trust me, I'd rather take her as my own then leave her here in these," he gestured to the mess around the room, "deplorable conditions with a slob like you."_

"_So what are you trying to say?" Nosedive asked tilting his head to one side. "That I'm unfit to raise a child or that I can't take care of myself? Dude, I'm a bachelor! I have no wife or any other responsibilities to speak of! All my family were killed in the invasion. Why should I care about living?"_

_Lt. Commander Owens removed a letter from his coat pocket and handed it to Nosedive. "You don't believe me, then maybe her parents own words will convince you."_

_Nosedive took the letter and deposited the child in Owens' arms. Owens juggled her as Nosedive read the letter quietly to himself._

If anything should happen to me on this mission to the barren lands I give all custodial guardian ship of my daughter Alexis Marie Davenport to Nosedive Flashblade.

Commander M. McMallard

_Nosedive ran his fingers through his hair as he stared in disbelief at the letter. He sat down on a pile of empty pizza boxes on the couch and reread the letter. _

"_Do you believe me now?"_

"_Tell me what happened." Nosedive inquired looking up at Lt. Commander Owens._

"_As I already informed you, the little girls parents were killed in the line of duty and you…"_

_Nosedive sprung from the couch and latched onto Lt. Commander Owens's throat. "NO! Tell me what happened and I mean what really happened!"_

***

Dive cleared his throat thus bringing Nosedive back to reality. He smiled inwardly as he continued to embrace Mallory. "Take care Mal. Don't ever change." The two separated and Nosedive walked back to Alexis. "All right short stuff, let's go home."

"I wish you'd stop calling me that."

Nosedive pointed at the portal. "Get!" Alexis stepped through and Nosedive followed, but before he completely disappeared he turned to give one final wave. "Hey Dive, do me a favor and keep these nuts in line. They all grow up to be bores." He gave Dive a quirky wink, then he was gone.

Mallory watched with pounding heart as the portal closed with a flash of light. Despite the Nosedive she knew was present, she felt a loss, an immense sense of what might have happened. Strangely still, she yearned to know. But then again, we were never meant to know our own futures. Because if we did, what would be the point of living if it turns out to be a disappointing life. Life is the journey and the adventure we all will experience.

***

Alexis waited breathlessly for Nosedive to appear in the military lab. When he finally did she relaxed a bit. "Well we're home."

"Just where we left."

"You started here too?"

Nosedive shrugged as he packed up the remote devices in their respective containers. "I had to get you before anyone noticed you were missing."

"How did you know that I was gone?"

"Angus and by our 'connection' if you know what I mean." Nosedive wiggled his eyebrows, hinting.

"That's gross. You really know where I am at all times?"

Nosedive smiled nodding. "And when your cutting school, fooling around with the boys, picking on Angus-"

"Speaking of which I'm going to kill the little runt."

"Best friends, gotta love them."

"He's a dead duck!"

"Try not to go too far. I wouldn't know how to tell Grin that his son became one of your newest victims. Besides I don't know where I'd hide the body. I think the field is too full."

"Very funny."

Nosedive coughed and ran his fingers through his hair. "So how'd you like the Mighty Ducks?"

"I was public enemy number one."

"Besides that."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you liked them so much."

"Their family to me. What about Wing?"

"He tried to kill me!"

"All right, how about Mal?"

"Who?"

"Mallory."

"Her?" Alexis wrinkled her beak with disgust. "In all honesty I can't tell you what I thought of her, because if I did I would spend the next week on KP duty for using foul language. But you obviously have a thing for her." Alexis gave Nosedive a devilish grin. "You would have needed the jaws of life to get you off of her. How come I've never met her here?"

Alexis jumped when Nosedive slammed the lid to the control box shut and locked it. "We were just friends. Nothing more."

"But you wanted more."

Nosedive looked up at his foster daughter. "Yes, I did. But she had other plans, specifically another mallard. After Wing died she could never look at me… To put it simply, I was never good enough."

"Then why the public display of affection?"

Alexis watched his eyes drift off into the distance, "because maybe it might change things. Besides I still love her."

"You love her?" Alexis scoffed. "The duck who broke your heart? You are crazy."

Nosedive stood and walked to the door and opened it. "Why wouldn't I love your mother? She's the reason I'm still single." He paused momentarily before leaving the room.

"My… mother?" Alexis stuttered as the door closed softly behind Nosedive. "Wait. Wait!" She ran after him and caught him in the hall. "What do you mean my mother?"

Nosedive kept walking as he explained, "Mallory McMallard was your mother. She died on a training mission in the barren lands shortly after you hatched. She somehow knew that she wasn't going to survive and left you to my care."

"McMallard? As in General McMallard?"

"Mallory was his only daughter, yes."

"If I'm a McMallard, why wasn't I sent to them? They are after all my blood relatives."

Nosedive stopped and looked up to the ceiling. "I don't know why your mother insisted that I raise you. But she did and I have. Can we drop the subject already?"

"But…" Alexis watched him walk away.

"I need to see how much of history was changed by your little excursion."

"You just want to go find out if your stupid brother made it."

Nosedive smiled to himself. "Nope, I'm going to go see if I can find your father then beat the living daylights out of him for laying his hands on your mother. Then I'm going to find Wildwing. He'll need to bail me out of jail for what I'm about to do."

Alexis watched Nosedive leave. She was Mallory McMallard's daughter? No wonder she didn't know who Mallory was in the past, she died before she was able to get to know her.

Alexis slowly wandered the hall ways of the Academy till she found her way back to her best friends room, right where she had left him- sitting at his computer port. Angus looked up as she closed the door. "Back already? You must have chickened out, or Prof. Flashblade got ya."

"What do you mean already? I've been gone for nearly three days!"

"Three days? Hmm. According to my watch you left thirty minutes ago. Guess you fouled things up again and didn't change one stitch of history."

"I didn't change history?" Alexis laughed. "I nearly got Nosedive, I mean Prof. Flashblade killed, saved two lives and prevented one world menace from destroying the world. Of course I changed history."

"Whatever," Angus shrugged as he began to type. "Oh, I almost forgot, your mom called. She sounded upset and she wants you to call her ASAP."

"My…mom…called?" Alexis hit her knees and began to weep.

The end.

Whew, can you believe that I actually got this thing done? I wrote this over five years ago and it's been collecting dust ever since. As a matter of fact, as I was typing this up I devised and epilogue of sorts. I don't know if it is worth warrant to post because I think that the reader can guess from hints what had happened in the previous past and the newest past. But with all things, time will tell. Till next posting… Smile, Live, Laugh, Love and God Bless.


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